T5 Tube vs LED Grow Light, Which Is Better for Growing Cannabis

As mentioned in our previous post, legalization of cannabis cultivation will continue in this year. More growers will move to indoor cannabis cultivation. Since the price of flower dropped rapidly in 2021, industrial and medical cannabis growers focus on the production efficiency. One of the key factors of higher cannabis production is the appropriate lighting. Generally, growers utilize artificial grow lights from growing cannabis. T5 tube and LED grow light are two common options for most growers. But it is not easy to make a choice between them. This post will take a look at the differences between T5 tubes and LED grow lights, so you can select the one that is best for your cannabis cultivation.

T5 tube

T5 tube is a kind of fluorescent light, which contains argon and mercury vapor for producing visible light. ‘T’ means that it is tubular shaped. T5 light is 5/8” in diameter. There are also T8 and T12 lights. T5 tubes are widespread in horticulture because they are more efficient than T8 and T12 lights. They can produce almost the same amount of light in a much smaller size than others.

• Benefits

T5 tubes are rich in blue light, which can the significantly improve root growth. Therefore, T5 tubes are especially beneficial for seedlings and clone propagation of cannabis. Moreover, T5 tubes produce very little heat. They can be placed closer to the cannabis canopy without wilting or burning cannabis. Besides, T5 tubes are of high energy efficiency. They are able to emit larger amount of light than incandescent and traditional florescent lights at the same power. It means that you can save cost while remains sufficient lighting for cannabis.

• Drawbacks

The main drawback of T5 tubes for growing cannabis is that they cannot meet the lighting requirements of cannabis plants when they grow bigger. Cannabis requires more intense light for vegetative growth and flowering than seedling and clone propagation. T5 tubes are not powerful enough to serve the whole life cycle of cannabis. Another problem of T5 tubes that is impossible to ignore is the durability. T5 tubes are not durable under and easy to rust in humid conditions. Since T5 tubes contain mercury vapor, they can be dangerous and hazardous if broken.

LED grow light

LED grow lights are lights using LED technology to provide light for growing plants. A LED refers to the light-emitting diode. LEDs are compact, efficient, and durable. The same as LED grow lights. LED grow lights can save up to 80% energy consumption than most traditional grow lights. Therefore, LED grow lights are popular with cannabis cultivation, especially the commercial cannabis cultivation. Except for the low energy consumption, LED grow lights also benefit for cannabis growth.

• Benefits

One of the outstanding benefits of LED grow lights is the customized light spectrum. Cannabis in different growing stages has different lighting requirements. Lighting spectrum of LED grow lights can be customized depending on plants needs. They could be a full spectrum, or bimodal spectrum with blue light and red light, or others. LED grow lights with full spectrum can serve cannabis growth from seedlings to flowerings. Thanks to the optimal light spectrum, growers can harvest better quality cannabis and gain higher production. In addition, LED grow lights consume at least 70% less energy than most traditional grow lights. In general, LED grow light can help growers save cost without compromising beneficial effects on plants growth.

• Drawbacks

The two major drawbacks of LED grow lights are high initial cost and low heat tolerance. Generally, LED grow lights are more expensive than other types of grow lights. The high price of LED grow lights can be a heavy burden for growers with limited budget. Although the total cost of using LED grow lights can be balanced with low energy consumption and long lifespan, growers may select other types of grow light as they do not have enough money to start with. Another factor that stops growers from using LED grow lights is their low heat tolerance. LED grow lights are sensitive to heat. They may fail in high temperature environment. The heat can also decrease the light output of LED grow lights.  

T5 tubes vs LED grow light, which is better

Here is a table of the comparison between T5 tubes and LED grow lights.

From the table, we can find that LED grow lights are better choices for growing cannabis because of their longer lifespan, safer components, more durable construction, and higher versatility. As known, cannabis is a light-loving plant. Choosing LED grow lights for growing cannabis is more economical for growers because LED grow lights can meet the lighting requirement across the life cycle of cannabis.

Looking for LED grow light for growing cannabis? Just contact us.